Harry’s brutal sledge to Aussie cricketer

PRINCE Harry could not resist stoking the rivalry between England and Australia ahead of the Cricket World Cup when the team captains met at Buckingham Palace.

Australia's one-day captain Aaron Finch was among the guests for the Queen's annual royal garden party at Buckingham Palace, posing with

The monarch joined Prince Harry to welcome the captains of the World Cup cricket teams. On meeting Finch, the Duke of Sussex joked: "You're getting on a bit now, aren't you? How long have you been playing?"

‘You’re getting on a bit now, aren’t you?’ Picture: AP

The Queen also met the group of world-class bowlers, batters and all-rounders who joined a palace garden party, ahead of the launch of the much-anticipated event being staged by England.

New dad Prince Harry will be at the Oval to watch England Captain Eoin Morgan take on South Africa in one of the World Cup's opening matches.

All smiles! The moment Aaron Finch, right, met the Queen. Picture: AP

The home side are ranked as world No. 1 after four solid years on an upward trajectory.

When the Queen met West Indies captain Jason Holder she was dwarfed by the all- rounder who stands 202cm tall, but joked she had someone taller in her household.

Harry tested the mood of the players, asking them if they were confident and who was the favourite.

He told the Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne: "Enjoy it, if you're not going to enjoy it you might as well not be here".

Outside, garden party guests braved wet and cold conditions that had been predicted, but they still seemed to enjoy the occasion.

Among the royal guests at the garden party were Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.